Sherman’s March to the Sea

Sherman's March to the Sea

Podcast Transcript Just one week after President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected in November 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman set out to execute one of the most audacious plans of the US Civil War.  His plan involved violating several central tenants of warfare which had been established for thousands of years, yet in the process, …

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The Third Amendment

The Third Amendment

Podcast Transcript The Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution holds some of the most treasured rights held by Americans.  This includes the rights of free speech, religion, assembly, due process, and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and self incrimination.  However, there are other parts to the Bill of Rights that don’t get …

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Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Podcast Transcript Located on the Adriatic Sea in the southernmost part of Croatia is the city of Dubrovnik.  Founded in the 7th century, it rose in prominence and became one of the leading city-states in Europe.  It was a major competitor with Venice in the region and had complicated relations with both the Byzantine and …

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The 1883 Eruption of Krakatoa

The 1883 Eruption of Krakatoa

Podcast Transcript On the morning of August 27, 1883, one of the most destructive natural disasters of the 19th century occurred between the islands of Java and Sumatra, in what is today the nation of Indonesia.  After weeks of low-level rumblings, a volcanic eruption totally obliterated the mountain that it had formed.  The devastation wasn’t …

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All About Hair

All About Hair

Podcast Transcript If you are listening to me speak these words and can understand what I’m saying, then you are a human being. If you are a human being, you are also a mammal, and if you are a mammal, you have hair….or at least the biological capability to produce hair. But why exactly do …

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The Toledo War: Michigan vs Ohio

The Toledo War: Michigan vs Ohio

Podcast Transcript Michigan and Ohio are two states renowned for their intense rivalry.  When you think of the rivalry between the two states, you probably think of the rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State on the football field.  However, their rivalry extends far beyond that. In 1835 and 1836, the two states …

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The Legend of Rasputin

The Legend of Rasputin

Podcast Transcript In the early 20th century, the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, the Tsarina Alexandra, welcomed a homeless monk into their home.  As this scruff, unkempt-looking man became closer to the royal family, he seemingly performed miracles, predicted the future, and cured illnesses.  He starts to gain influence over the Imperial Family…a …

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The Spanish Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition

Podcast Transcript At the end of the 15th century, Spain had almost completed the Reconquista and the removal of the Caliphate in the Iberian Peninsula, ending centuries of Islamic rule. One of the first things they did was usher in an attempt to unify and purify the country as a Catholic one, rather than a …

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European Exclaves

European Exclaves

Podcast Transcript We have all looked at a map and seen all of the different countries represented by different colors. A country has some sort of border, and everything inside that border is what makes up the country.  However, there are some exceptions. There are exclaves, which are bits of a country that are separated …

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